12 Shows to Watch If You Love Bridgerton and Where to Stream Them

Set within the fantasy, Regency-era world of Bridgerton, the preview series Queen Charlotte provides a backstory for one of the series’ most beloved characters. The miniseries delves into the Queen’s own youthful love story and difficult marriage, in addition to her current-day mission to forcefully ensure her children produce a royal heir.

For Bridgerton fans looking to delve deeper into the world of the show, this one’s a no brainer. 

Based on Jane Austen’s final unfinished work, Sanditon tells the story of Charlotte Heywood, an intrepid and independent young woman who finds herself in the up-and-coming seaside town of Sanditon. While there, she’s introduced to a whole new world of glittering balls, political intrigue, new friendships, and dashingly handsome suitors.

If you appreciate faithful adaptations of Austen’s work, like Sense and Sensibility or Emma, this is one you’ll want to see. 

The Buccaneers tells the story of Nan and Jinny St George, Conchita Closson, and Mabel and Lizzy Elmsworth—five young women from the American nouveau riche who arrive in London just in time for debutante season in the 1870s. As the friends navigate promising suitors and family dramas, they also must contend with the tension between their independent and extroverted personalities with the stiff-upper-lip of English high society.

Despite being set in London, this is a show that will appeal to fans of The Gilded Age and The Tudors—ie, shows that aren’t afraid to add a little spice to their period settings.

Although many adaptations have now been made of Pride and Prejudice, none compare to the BBC’s 1995 miniseries when it comes to bringing Jane Austen’s most well-known work to life. Starring Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, the series follows the headstrong daughter of a country gentleman and the arrogant son of an aristocrat as they learn to overcome their own insecurities to find true love. 

Watch this if you love the big Bridgerton family, are a fan of Eloise’s independent spirit, and love a truly good love story. Also watch this if you love Firth in movies like Mamma Mia! and Love Actually.

What took place at the Duchess of Richmond's ball just days before the Battle of Waterloo still reverberates 25 years later, when the best kept secrets of that night begin to be revealed. 

That’s the basic setup for Belgravia—a show that is much heavier on the drama than the relatively lighthearted Bridgerton, but if you’re in the mood for a more serious ride through 19th century English society—complete with scandalous secrets and a convincing love story—look no further. Same goes for anyone who’s been appreciating Ella Purnel’s work in Fallout recently and are looking to see where the actor got her big break.

Stretched over an impressive six seasons, Gossip Girl follows the story of a group of wealthy teenagers in New York City whose every move and dirtiest secret are followed and aired by an anonymous blogger known only as ‘Gossip Girl’. 

Although Gossip Girl isn’t a period drama (as you might have guessed from the above description), the salacious anonymous narrator (aka Gossip Girl/Lady Whistledown) is clearly an homage to those kinds of stories. If you appreciate modern interpretations of the genre, like Clueless or Bridget Jones’ Diary, this is one you should see.

In Regency-era England, Becky Sharp is a clever and ambitious young woman from a poor background who will stop at nothing to get to the top. 

If you fancy a series that’s a bit darker than Bridgerton, but that also gives a more modern take on a young woman’s story from that era (as in movies like Mary Shelley or Corsage), make sure you check out Vanity Fair. 

This wild historical fantasy series is based on a book of the same name by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, and Cynthia Hand. It tells the story of Lady Jane Grey, also known as the ‘Nine Day Queen’, who was tragically executed by Mary Tudor in 1554. The series, however, instead tells a reimagined version of the story in which Lady Jane is a feisty young woman who can not only save herself, but the entire kingdom. 

Similar to Bridgerton, My Lady Jane takes place in an alternate version of history in which the monarchy is racially integrated. It also stars Emily Bader—and if you enjoyed the actor’s performance in Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation, you’re gonna love her in this show, too.

Dickinson tells the story of the iconic 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson,  but it does so using modern vocabulary, music, and references in order to shed light on the secretive and reclusive writer’s life as she explores her family, friendships and sexual identity while finding her voice as an artist.

If you appreciate the modern energies that Sofia Coppola brought to Marie Antoinette or enjoyed Cynthia Nixon’s portrayal of Dickinson in A Quiet Passion, this is one you might be interested in seeing. 

If you love the scenes featuring the Bridgerton family, you’ll adore the dynamic between the March siblings in this 2017 BBC adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women—a classic coming-of-age tale about four sisters learning about friendship, love, and hardship in 19th century Massachusetts. 

What’s more, if this one ends up being to your tastes, you can also check out Greta Gerwig’s wonderful version from 2019 as well as the Wynona Ryder-led adaptation from 1994.